Dinkey Creek is a phenomenal place to be. It is a true taste of California with that classic High Sierra granite and beautiful waterfalls. Having attempted this canyon earlier in the season, with much higher water and less than optimal outcome, I was drawn to go back to give this canyon the respect it was demanding from me. I had ventured in there with around 400cfs on a kayaking trip and was disconnected from my equipment requiring a ride out in a helicopter, but more on that another time. On my second trip three out of us five finished in the evening of the second day, while Dave Osada and myself stretched it out an extra day so we didn’t have to hike into the night. I believe that three days is an excellent amount of time. This was an awesome trip and I would not trade this experience for anything in the world.
Dinkey Creek Backpacking Logistics.
Put In and Take Out information can be found here : Darin McQuoid’s River Directory and even more information on AmericanWhitewater!
Trip Length: Only 6 miles 
Amount of time: 2-3 days depending on pack size and group effenciency
Flow: 70 cfs. When we went in we wanted to see it with some water, even though the water was really low it played a huge roll in our decision making. For a more straight forward trip I would wait for zero cfs. Dinkey Creek Dreamflows Gauge
Backpacking Difficulty: I would say this is a very difficult backpacking trip, and a less difficult canyoneering trip. There are virtually no trails, so good route finding skills are a must. Each drop presented a unique puzzle requiring some creative route finding.
Overall Review: This trip is highly recommended to someone who has done everything else. Plan on getting covered head to toe in poison oak. River knowledge comes in very handy as there are countless crossings. There are fewer rappels than anticipated but a couple seemingly mandatory ones. We evaded quite a few rappels by throwing our packs down the cliff and jumping in after them. Please enjoy a few photos below from our trip, and be sure to check back as I am putting together a small video tour of the trip.
The Take-Out bridge. Photo - Austin Nickell
Austin Nickell rappels a waterfall in Dinkey Creek. Photo- Brandon Sweet
Brandon Sweet and James Boster swimming out below the sieve portage. Photo- Matt Ziock
A night shot at camp. Photo - Austin Nickell
Another night shot from camp on Dinkey Creek. Photo- Austin Nickell
A panorama of camp. Photo- Matt Ziock
Austin Nickell and Matt Ziock negotiate Dinkey Creek. Photo- Brandon Sweet
Paying our respects to Daniele Tira, an Italian kayaker and friend who died in this rapid 2011. Photo-Brandon Sweet.
After a rappel at Willie Kern's drop on Dinkey Creek. Photo- Brandon Sweet
This was a-typical on this trip. Thow the backpack and jump in after it! Photo- Brandon Sweet
Dinkey Creek Canyoneering
Dinkey Creek is a phenomenal place to be. It is a true taste of California with that classic High Sierra granite and beautiful waterfalls. Having attempted this canyon earlier in the season, with much higher water and less than optimal outcome, I was drawn to go back to give this canyon the respect it was demanding from me. I had ventured in there with around 400cfs on a kayaking trip and was disconnected from my equipment requiring a ride out in a helicopter, but more on that another time. On my second trip three out of us five finished in the evening of the second day, while Dave Osada and myself stretched it out an extra day so we didn’t have to hike into the night. I believe that three days is an excellent amount of time. This was an awesome trip and I would not trade this experience for anything in the world.
Dinkey Creek Backpacking Logistics.
Put In and Take Out information can be found here : Darin McQuoid’s River Directory and even more information on AmericanWhitewater!
Trip Length: Only 6 miles
Amount of time: 2-3 days depending on pack size and group effenciency
Flow: 70 cfs. When we went in we wanted to see it with some water, even though the water was really low it played a huge roll in our decision making. For a more straight forward trip I would wait for zero cfs. Dinkey Creek Dreamflows Gauge
Backpacking Difficulty: I would say this is a very difficult backpacking trip, and a less difficult canyoneering trip. There are virtually no trails, so good route finding skills are a must. Each drop presented a unique puzzle requiring some creative route finding.
Overall Review: This trip is highly recommended to someone who has done everything else. Plan on getting covered head to toe in poison oak. River knowledge comes in very handy as there are countless crossings. There are fewer rappels than anticipated but a couple seemingly mandatory ones. We evaded quite a few rappels by throwing our packs down the cliff and jumping in after them. Please enjoy a few photos below from our trip, and be sure to check back as I am putting together a small video tour of the trip.
The Take-Out bridge. Photo - Austin Nickell
Austin Nickell rappels a waterfall in Dinkey Creek. Photo- Brandon Sweet
Brandon Sweet and James Boster swimming out below the sieve portage. Photo- Matt Ziock
A night shot at camp. Photo - Austin Nickell
Another night shot from camp on Dinkey Creek. Photo- Austin Nickell
A panorama of camp. Photo- Matt Ziock
Austin Nickell and Matt Ziock negotiate Dinkey Creek. Photo- Brandon Sweet
Paying our respects to Daniele Tira, an Italian kayaker and friend who died in this rapid 2011. Photo-Brandon Sweet.
After a rappel at Willie Kern's drop on Dinkey Creek. Photo- Brandon Sweet
This was a-typical on this trip. Thow the backpack and jump in after it! Photo- Brandon Sweet